


magic moments

by orphan_account



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/M, One Shot Collection, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-15 23:04:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5803807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>it wasn’t unheard of for an older pupil to start alongside the first years, but it was rare, and the rarity of the situation caused an interested hush to sweep over the hall</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. the sorting ceremony

**Author's Note:**

> i've been really into harry potter lately, so this will likely be a collection of connected fairy tail hogwarts au one shots ~

She figured she’d never quite get used to that first view of the Great Hall after a long summer’s break. Her lips curled upwards into a content smile as she stepped through the hall, remembering how her mouth had fallen open in shock five years ago when she’d first started at the school.

Countless candles floated midair above the four long tables that took up the majority of the hall. Each of them packed to the brim with grinning students talking so loudly, the air in the hall seemed to vibrate with excitement. But it wasn’t the tables, laid with golden plates and goblets just waiting to be piled with delicious food, that had her smiling fondly - it was the ceiling.

As always, the bewitched ceiling never failed to enchant her. Tonight, the ceiling was a dark blue - almost black - dotted with stars shining so brightly, for a moment she couldn’t believe they weren’t real.

She waved to friends from various houses as she strode down the aisle, looking for a spot to squeeze herself into before the ceremony got underway and she found herself under the wrath of Professor Porlyusica for taking her time. After a few extra seconds of searching, she spotted Jet and Droy perched at the very end of their long table and she practically skipped towards them, throwing herself into a tiny gap between them.

She barely had time to throw her arms around their necks and pull them in for a quick hug before a hush fell over the Great Hall as Professor Porlyusica entered,  followed by a long line of terrified looking first years.

Levy watched, vaguely amused by the varying degrees of terror etched on their faces, as they strode behind Porlyusica, some of them gripping onto their robes for dear life, while others kept the faces angled towards the ground, refusing to make eye contact with the rest of the school.

“Were we ever that tiny?” Jet whispered, nodding towards a particularly small girl who looked like she was about five seconds from bursting into tears.

“Yes,” Levy chuckled, trying to smother her laughter in a nearby table cloth, “and I have the photographs to prove it.”

It seemed like an age ago that they’d entered the Great Hall for the first time, frightened but still so full of wonder and excitement at the new world that was slowly unravelling itself in front of them. If she was honest with herself, she was a little jealous of the first years. Entering the Great Hall for the first time after each summer was always a treat, but she knew nothing would ever be able to beat her first time. Her mouth had actually dropped open in awe and Porlyusica had had to prod her gently with the tip of her wand for her to get moving again.

“Sssh,” Droy nudged them both and nodded towards the large table at the end of the hall where Porlyusica and the first years had congregated, “it’s starting.”

Everyone seemed to sit up straight as Porlyusica cleared her throat and began unravelling the long roll of parchment in her hands. Next to her, on an old stool, sat a ratty, patched and frayed old hat. Levy could almost feel the excitement in the air as they all watched, waiting for the moment it would burst into its traditional song.

For a few seconds, complete silence engulfed the room, before it twitched slightly and the rip near the brim peeled open, creating a pair of lips, and began to sing.

The older students all sung along, some of them horribly out of tune, while the first years looked somewhere between horrifed and positively enchanted by the idea of a singing hat.

Once the song had finished, and they’d all errupted into a particularly loud round of applause for the old hat, Porlyusica stepped forward, holding the long roll of parchment out in front of her.

“When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,” she told the first years, nodding towards the hat whose brim was still peeled open into a smug smile.

Levy watched as the ceremony began and first year after first year stumbled forwards and allowed themselves to be sorted into their houses. After every announcement, the corresponding house table would erupt into loud cheering and hooting, making the newest addition to the house turn horribly red.

She clapped politely along with the rest as Romeo Conbalt staggered over to the Gryffindor table  while Chelia Blendy scurried over to Ravenclaw and-

“Marvell, Wendy!” Porlyusica said loudly, her clear voice echoing around the hall.

There was a moment’s hesitation before a small girl with dark blue hair Levy vaguely recalled seeing on the platform earlier stepped out of line.

Wendy’s lips quivered as she settled herself down on the stool, as if she were murmuring something to herself. Though she couldn’t see her, Levy shot the girl an encouraging smile, remembering how terrified she’d felt all those years ago, standing up in front of the school for the first time. Once she was settled - and gripping the seat of the stool so tightly, Levy wondered if she might take some of the wood with her - Porlyusica dropped the crumpled old hat over her head.

There was a silence for a moment or two before the lips of the ancient hat peeled backwards for it to yell: “HUFFLEPUFF!”

Wendy visibly exhaled as Porlyusica tugged the hat off her head and pointed towards the Hufflepuff table - not that it was difficult to find, as they were all cheering loudly and stamping their feet to greet their newest housemate. Levy made a point to cheer especially loud as Wendy hurried down the aisle, tripping over her feet a little until she found an empty spot to sit in just a few seats away from her.

“Redfox, Gajeel!”

“Well done!” Levy said, tuning out of the Sorting Ceremony for a few seconds to congratulate the newest member of their house. She leaned forwards in her seat, catching Wendy’s eye, and smiled at her, “you’ll love it in Hufflepuff.”

Wendy seemed to visibly relax, mouthing a quick ‘thank you!’ to Levy before she turned her attention back to the Sorting Ceremony.

“Cor,” Jet whistled, “he’s a big one.”

Frowning, Levy swivelled back round in her seat, eyes widening ever so slightly as she stared at the boy who was currently sauntering up to the hat.

It wasn’t unheard of for an older pupil to start alongside the first years, but it was rare, and the rarity of the situation caused an interested hush to sweep over the hall.

Levy felt mildly sorry for the boy. She could see the obvious discomfort on his face as he settled himself onto the wooden stool and allowed Porlyusica to drop the crumpled old hat over his head.  

“What year do you think he is?” Droy asked, watching intently at the hat seemed to deliberate on the best house for him.

“At least fifth year, maybe sixth with us,” Levy said slowly, “what was his name?”

“Gajeel Rednox, I think.”

“Redfox,” Jet corrected absentmindedly, his voice slightly drowned out as the hat loudly proclaimed: “SLYTHERIN!”

The table to the far right of the hall burst into loud cheers as Gajeel stood up and began making his way towards them. Despite the cheers, the odd little frown on his face didn’t disappear as he crossed the hall, and he barely seemed to acknowledged his new fellow housemates as he dropped himself into an empty seat at the very edge of the table.

“Well,” Droy muttered, shaking his head just a little, “he looks like a bundle of joy.”

“Oh be nice,” Levy whacked him lightly on the shoulder, “he’s probably just nervous.” Not that she blamed him for that at all. Half the hall still had their eyes on him, and would probably be talking about him for at least the first week of school.

Not wanting to contribute to the many eyes already focused on him, she turned away, smiling a little as Porlyusica rolled up her parchment and their headmaster, Professor Makarov, stood up on his chair, ready to begin his traditional, if not a little odd, welcome speech.

It felt good to be home.


	2. lost

“Honestly,” she huffed to herself, hiking up the bottom of her robes just a little as they climbed the staircase, “you’d think by now they’d realise they need to provide the first years with maps!”

She glanced behind her, making sure the eight first years she’d managed to rescue before they stepped on the vanishing staircase and ended up with nasty bruises, were still huddled behind her. 

She frowned, counting the tops of their heads. There were nine of them now. _Nine_. 

“Great,” she mumbled under her breath. Somewhere, along the way, she’d picked up yet _another_ lost first year. It wasn’t that she minded guiding them - she knew only too well how confusing the castle could be until you managed to get to grips with its many quirks - but she had places to be herself. Namely, a Herbology class that she was most definitely _extremely_ late for. And, while she knew Professor Sequen wouldn’t admonish her for helping the first years, she knew it wasn’t a particularly great start to the year.

“No Romeo,” she said sharply, reaching out to grab the collar of his robes before he took a wrong turn and ended up in the basement, “ _this_ way.” She nodded towards a winding passageway, “just keep going straight and you’ll find Professor Clive’s room. And _don’t_ turn left, otherwise you’ll end up in the lake.”

The first years laughed nervously and Levy didn’t have the heart to tell them that she wasn’t joking. They’d learn soon enough about the weird, seemingly impossible, twists and turns, their school had to it. Though, hopefully before one of them ended up in the lake doing their best to out-swim the Giant Squid. She still remembered all the drama it had caused when Natsu Dragneel had to be fished out not too long into their first year at the school. Though, worryingly, nobody had seen it fit to close off the passage that actually led to the lake in the first place.

She watched them disappear down the corridor, only releasing her breath when they passed the passage that led to the lake without turning down it. Once she was certain they were close enough to Professor Clive’s room that they couldn’t _possibly_ get lost again, she turned on her heel, intent on rushing through the building to get to her Herbology class before Professor Sequen began one of his notoriously tricky demonstrations and she fell behind. 

But, before she could move more than an inch or two, she found herself colliding with a wall.

This in itself wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary. Walls were known to appear and disappear on whim within the building but, over the years, she’d thought she’d managed to note down all the places walls were prone to appear suddenly and this was _definitely_ not one of the spots. 

Groaning a little, and trying her best to ignore the sniggering portraits beside her, she rubbed her head where she had bumped it slightly, wondering if perhaps one of the ghosts was playing a trick on her. After all, Zera was a notorious trickster, especially when she and Mavis teamed up. 

“Sorry.” 

She blinked. As strange as their school was, walls didn’t talk. They were known to groan and even wail on occasion, but they definitely didn’t talk. 

Frowning, she peeked upwards, eyes widening ever so slightly as she realised she hadn’t collided with a wall, but with a person. A very tall and sturdy looking person (so she decided she wasn’t entirely at fault for thinking he was a wall), who wore an expression she found herself becoming _very_ familiar with.

“You’re lost,” she said simply, shaking her head as she took in the boy in front of her, “Gajeel, right?” 

He seemed to pause for a moment or two before he nodded, awkwardly shifting onto the balls of his feet, “yeah.”

“I’m Levy,” she said after a few long seconds of silence, “sixth year Hufflepuff.” She knew that was a pretty useless piece of information, especially considering the fact that her house emblem was printed over her breast pocket of her robes, but she felt like she had to say something. He seemed like the type to be comfortable sitting in complete silence.

“Slytherin,” he said eventually, nodding towards his own house emblem, “sixth year, too.”

“Oooh,” she couldn’t stop herself from grinning, “we probably have some classes together, where were you off to?”

He dug around in his pockets before pulling out a carefully folded piece of paper. “Uh,” he pulled it apart, squinting at it for a few seconds. “Herbology with a Professor Sequen?” 

“Me too. You want me to show you the way?”

“ _God_ , please,” he said quickly and she couldn’t help but giggle. She wondered how long he’d been wandering the corridors, trying to find his way to their class. While most people would stop and ask any first years they came across if they needed help finding their class, she doubted if anyone would spare a glance to a sixth year. Especially one that looked like him. 

She peeked up at him as they strode silently through the now completely empty corridors. Tall, she decided, was an understatement when it came to describing him. He towered over her, (she figured he was at _least_ 6′3) and the mass of long black hair that rolled down his back reminded her of an actor she’d seen in a Muggle film in the summer. He wasn’t just tall either. She thought she could spy the faintest hint of muscles from underneath his robes and, where he’d rolled the sleeves up, scars in varying lengths marred the otherwise smooth skin. She wondered what he’d been doing before attending Hogwarts.

Would it be rude to ask? 

“How long did it take you to get used to this place?” he asked suddenly, sparing her from having to continue with the minor internal dilemma she was going through. 

They’d paused beside a staircase, waiting for it to fit back into place so they could hurry up it before it moved again. 

“A while,” she admitted, remembering only too well her first few weeks at the school where she had barged into several of the wrong lessons and, on one occasion, ended up on the Quidditch pitch when she was supposed to be in Potions, “you learn by getting lost really. How long were you wandering around?” she asked.

He shrugged. “’Bout twenty minutes.”

“ _Twenty minutes_? Why didn’t you ask anyone for help?” 

He shrugged again and she immediately felt a little bad. It wasn’t easy being a new student, especially joining a school as unorthodox as Hogwarts during your sixth year. Also, she didn’t really get the impression that Gajeel was the type of person to ask for help. Belatedly, she realised he hadn’t even asked her, she had offered it, and she figured if she hadn’t, he’d probably still be wandering around stubbornly.

“Well,” she said diplomatically as they turned yet another corner and entered a small corridor, “you should talk to Juvia, she’s in our a year and in your house. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind guiding you around for a while.”

“I don’t need people to guide me around,” he grumbled.

“Could’ve fooled me,” she muttered under her breath, just loudly enough for him to hear, but quiet enough that he could pretend he hadn’t. “I’m just saying,” she continued, “it never hurts to ask.”

He hummed in reply and she resisted the urge to stick out her leg and trip him over. 

“What’s Sequen like?” he asked instead, steering the conversation away from his apparent lack of desire to ask for help, “any good?”

“He’s lovely,” she said honestly, “a little bit eccentric - but I think that’s basically a requirement for being a teacher here - and he’s _really_ fond of puns, but he’s a great teacher, everyone likes him. Ah, turn here.” She tugged the hem of his cloak, stopping him from continuing on forwards and ending up near the Great Hall. 

They walked in silence for a few more minutes - broken only by Levy attempting to make polite conversation every now and then before she gave up entirely - before they reached their destination. 

Levy entered the room first, gushing words of apology to their teacher as she explained the situation, with Gajeel tailing after her somewhat awkwardly. Like she’d expected, Sequen didn’t seem at all bothered by their tardiness and quickly shooed them away to their seats. 

"Thanks,” Gajeel mumbled as he strode past her and slid into an empty seat in the back row.

“No worries,” she smiled, offering him a quick wave before she slipped into her usual seat next to Droy in the back row, “any time.”


	3. cats and owls

She yawned loudly, arms stretching into the air as she tried to release the kinks she’d developed in her arms and back after sitting in the same position for the last few hours. She frowned as she peered around the library, wondering where everyone had gone. When she’d entered the vast room, it had been teeming with students and professors but now, she could only see the faintest hint of a lantern burning a few shelves away from her. 

Realising she’d lost track of time and had spent more time than she’d originally planned in her favourite nook of the library, she quickly began packing up her belongings. She hoped she hadn’t missed dinner. 

Stuffing her quill, parchments, and as many books as she could manage into her bag before she began to worry it might tear at the seams (there were only so many strengthening spells you could use after all) she pushed herself up from her seat and began making her way to the exit.

Making a mental note to ask one of her friends to come and find her if she disappeared for too long in the future, she crossed the library, only stopping when she felt something warm brush against her calf.

She froze. She’d become rather accustomed to having a ghost accidentally walk through her every now and then, and was used to the feeling of icy water that came with it, but she’d never felt anything _warm_ brush her. 

Frowning, she glanced down, gaze softening as she caught sight of what the quite possibly the hairiest cat she had ever seen in her life. It was quite big, bigger than any cat she’d seen in the castle before, with masses of ginger and chocolate brown fur coating it’s entire body. She could only _just_ manage to see a pair of bright green eyes and a dark brown nose peeking out from between the mane of fur on its face.

“Well,” she laughed, crouching down to tickle the purring cat on its neck, “aren’t you a cutie.” 

The cat purred louder, almost vibrating as it wound its way between her legs, purposely brushing up against her. “Spoilt too,” she murmured, shaking her head as the cat came round again, begging for another round of neck scratches. 

When she finally stood up, deciding that although it _was_ very cute, she couldn’t spend all evening lavishing attention on the giant furball, she wasn’t entirely surprised to find it began to follow her. It was kind of amusing actually, watching it trot by her side, trying desperately to keep up with her. Every now and then it would make an annoyed “ _hurumph”_ sound, as if it were actually annoyed that she hadn’t dropped everything she was doing to give it attention.

_Yep_ , she thought as she turned a corner, _definitely spoilt._ She wondered who owned it. She never seen it before, and considering its size and the amount of fur it was buried under, she knew she definitely would have noticed it roaming the castle.

“ _Tsk, tsk, tsk._ ”

For the second time that night, Levy froze, barely noticing when the cat collided with the back of her legs and made another irritated “ _hurumph_ ” sound.

“ _Tsk, tsk, tsk.”_

She cocked her head to the side, watching in amusement as someone wiggled out from beneath a desk, mumbling ‘ _tsk, tsk, tsk’_ repeatedly as they went.

“Where are ya, you giant furball?” the figure grunted, hissing slightly as they bumped their head underneath the desk while inching themselves out from underneath it. 

Levy giggled as she watched a familiar face sit upright, his lips pursed into a thin line as she glanced around the library. 

“Hi Ga- _woah_ ,” she stumbled backwards a little as the cat by her side quickly barged past her legs and waddled over towards where Gajeel sat, a pleased purr erupting from its mouth. 

“ _There_ you are,” Gajeel sighed, letting the cat leap into his lap so he could cradle it. She watched as the cat nuzzle his chest and kneaded his thighs and she suddenly understood _why_ the cat acted the way it did. Gajeel spoiled it. _Incredibly._ Her eyes widened as he stood up, cradling the cat in his arms as if it were a baby.

The cat purred loudly in his arm, jutting it’s great big, furry head in Levy’s direction. Frowning, Gajeel glanced upwards, eyes widening when he finally noticed Levy standing just a few feet away.

She waved awkwardly, trying to hide the grin that was threatening to spread over her face. Who would’ve thought that Gajeel Redfox was a cat person?

“Uh…hi?” he said, walking towards her slowly, “thanks, ah, thanks for finding him.”

“No problem,” she said brightly, reaching forwards to scratch the cat behind the back of his ear, “what’s his name.”

“His name?”

“Yeah…” she frowned, wondering why he suddenly looked like someone had turned up the heating in the library, “he has one, right?”

“Yeah, of course, it’s ah,” he cleared his throat, “Sir Montgomery Mewington the Third.”

Levy blinked. “Excuse me?”

“That’s his name,” Gajeel mumbled, looking very much like he wanted the ground to swallow him up, “Sir Montgomery Mewington the Third.” 

She couldn’t help herself this time. Throwing her head back, she allowed the bark of laughter to fall from her mouth. This was just _too_ much. Not only was Gajeel a cat person, he was one of those cat people who _ridiculously_ spoiled their cats (Montgomery was still laying nestled in his arms as if he were royalty or something) _and_ he had given the cat a ridiculous name.

“Oi,” Gajeel scowled, shifting that giant cat in his arms a little so he could poke Levy in the shoulder, “don’t laugh.”

“How can I _not_? It’s a brilliant name, don’t get me wrong, it’s just…not very _you_.”

“Not very _me_?”

“I pictured you as a dog person,” she admitted, “and _definitely_ not the type of person to name their pets Sir Mont-”

“Alright, alright,” he grunted, rolling his eyes just a little, “I get it. And _I_ didn’t name him. My cousin did. Believe me, I’ve tried calling him something else, but he’s stubborn and will only answer to it or Sir Monty.”

“Sir _Monty_?” she spluttered, trying to imagine Gajeel wandering around the castle, calling out ‘Sir Monty’ over and over in an attempt to find his cat. 

“Yes,” he scowled, “stop laughing.”

“I _can’t_ ,” she cackled, “you named your cat Si-”

“ _Alright_ ,” he cut across her, “well what did you name _your_ cat.”

“I don’t have a cat.”

“Oh.”

“I have an owl, and his name is Hector.”

This time, it was Gajeel’s turn to snort, “ _Hector_?”

“What’s wrong with Hector? It’s a _lovely_ name, not silly and over the top like Sir Monty over here.”

“You don’t give pets _people_ names,” Gajeel laughed, shaking his head just a little, “where’s the fun in that?”

“Well Hector likes his name just fine.”

“And so does Sir Monty. _Oi_ , don’t _laugh_.”


End file.
